20 First Business English Idioms You Should Learn to Know

At First Business English we know that learning English can be difficult particularly when you have to deal with idioms and slang in the English language that comes natural to native English Speakers.  It’s important to know what idioms are and how to recognise them when you are speaking with native English speakers. We have provided here an explanation of what an idiom is and also 20 frequently used idioms or terms that are commonly used in the Business English world of communication.

Idiom Definition

An idiom is a commonly used expression or phrase in a language that doesn’t necessarily have a literal meaning. Instead, idioms often have a figurative or metaphorical meaning that can be difficult to understand without prior knowledge or context as an English language learner.

Idiom Example

For example, “raining cats and dogs” is an English idiom that means it’s raining heavily, but the individual words in the phrase don’t have that literal meaning. Idioms are often unique to specific languages and cultures, and understanding them is an important part of learning to communicate in English in general and in Business English specifically.

20 Commonly Used Business English Idioms or Terms

First Business English online has provided 20 commonly used Business English idioms and example sentences to help you better understand the Business English idioms which are listed below.

1. A bird’s eye view – a general or overall look at something. Example: Let’s take a bird’s eye view of the  project before we dive into the details. 

2. To be in the same boat – to be in the same situation or facing the same problems as others. Example: We’re all struggling with the new software, so at least we’re in the same boat. 

3. Bite the bullet – to face a difficult situation or problem head-on. Example: We need to bite the bullet and make some tough decisions about our budget. 

4. Break-even – to make enough money to cover all costs and expenses. Example: We won’t make a profit this quarter, but if we can break even, we’ll still be in good shape. 

5. By the book – to do something according to established rules or procedures. Example: We need to follow the regulations by the book, even if it’s inconvenient. 

6. Cut the cord – to end a relationship or business arrangement. Example: We decided to cut the cord with our supplier because their prices were too high. 

7. Don’t count your chickens before they hatch – don’t make assumptions about something that hasn’t happened yet. Example: Let’s wait until we have the contract signed before we celebrate. Don’t count  your chickens before they hatch. 

8. Drive a hard bargain – to negotiate aggressively and demand a good deal. Example: Our CEO always drives a hard bargain when it comes to contracts with vendors. 

9. Flesh out – to add more detail or information to something. Example: Let’s flesh out our proposal with some concrete examples and data. 

10. Get the ball rolling – to start something or get a process started. Example: Let’s get the ball rolling on our new marketing campaign and start brainstorming ideas. 

11. Go the extra mile – to put in extra effort or go above and beyond what is expected. Example: If we want to win this contract, we’ll have to go the extra mile and provide exceptional customer service. 

12. Keep your eyes peeled – to stay alert and watch out for something. Example: Keep your eyes peeled for any competitors who might try to steal our customers. 

13. Make ends meet – to manage to survive financially with limited resources. Example: It’s tough to make ends meet on a minimum wage job, but we’ll make it work.

14. On the same page – to have a shared understanding or agreement about something. Example: It’s important that we’re all on the same page before we start the project.

15. Out of the woods – to be free from a difficult or dangerous situation. Example: We’re not out of the woods yet, but at least the worst is over. 

16. Play hardball – to be tough and uncompromising in business negotiations. Example: If they won’t meet our price, we’ll have to play hardball and walk away from the deal. 

17. Put all your eggs in one basket – to rely too heavily on one thing or put all your resources into one option. Example: It’s risky to put all your eggs in one basket with a single product or strategy. 

18. Raise the bar – to set a higher standard or expectation. Example: We need to raise the bar if we want to stay ahead of our competitors.

19. Read between the lines – to understand something that is not directly stated. Example: The client’s feedback was positive, but I think we need to read between the lines and address their concerns. 

20. Roll with the punches – to adapt and adjust to changing circumstances. Example: We’ve had to roll with the punches during the pandemic and shift our business model.

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